Pay-Per-View Murder

[EGarrett]

It's 3AM as I write this. So be warned.

What if someone put forth a bill that stated that from now on, all Death Penalty/Executions would be aired on pay-per-view, with the proceeds going to families of their victims?

Would you vote for it? Against it? Be disgusted by it?

[Whoracle]

All convicted violent offenders should be executed on public tv the day their guilty verdict is handed in. Fox would of course get the coverage.

[a_unique_person]

They should auction the rights to be the executioner on ebay.

[Hutch]

Seriously, executions were public throughout the 19th Century and into the 20th in some places (re: Europe and USA). There are some countries where it still might be public (I am not sure if Saudi still removes heads and other limbs in the public square as they used to).

Press on.

[Pyrrho]

There is no good reason to trivialize death by making it into a TV show.

[PogoPedant]

Like Hutch said, it's been tried. Didn't have any obvious positive effects.

[KelvinG]

If you want to live in a society where the death penalty is practiced, why shouldn't people be allowed to see it. Besides, most executions these days are pretty humane, i.e. lethal injection.

I wonder why some are opposed to showing executions on pay per view? Because maybe public opinion might turn against the death penalty if they were to actually see somebody being put to death?

[schplurg]

If you want to live in a society where the death penalty is practiced, why shouldn't people be allowed to see it. Besides, most executions these days are pretty humane, i.e. lethal injection.

I wonder why some are opposed to showing executions on pay per view? Because maybe public opinion might turn against the death penalty if they were to actually see somebody being put to death?Bingo. This gets my vote.

A.U.P.:
I like your idea too.

And think of all the cool television shows that would appear revolving around this? Perhaps people could phone-in their vote for "method of death"?

"press 1 for beheading, 2 for drowning, or 3 for Chihuaha mauling"

- booop -

[TobiasTheViking]

If you want to live in a society where the death penalty is practiced, why shouldn't people be allowed to see it. Besides, most executions these days are pretty humane, i.e. lethal injection.
Like hanging and firering squad and the electric chair?

Ok, humane.. yeah.

And imagine how bad it is outside of US

[Abbyas]

If you want to live in a society where the death penalty is practiced, why shouldn't people be allowed to see it. Besides, most executions these days are pretty humane, i.e. lethal injection.

I don't think this is a death penalty issue.

It would also be inhumane to send someone to prison and then force them to be the star of some sort of "Big Brother" type reality series in which they are seen going to the bathroom.

I also think allowing others to watch and celebrate another's death, even the small amount that are allowed now to see it live, is pushing it.

[KelvinG]

Like hanging and firering squad and the electric chair?

Ok, humane.. yeah.

And imagine how bad it is outside of US

Don't get me wrong. I'm in favour of televised executions no matter the method is. If a society is so eager to execute criminals, why should there be a taboo about everyone being able to see it.

As for the humane part, I'm simply saying that lethal injection appears to be a more humane method of execution than other methods. Perhaps I'm wrong.

[TobiasTheViking]

That didn't really answer my question.

Oh well :)

[rocketdodger]

Don't get me wrong. I'm in favour of televised executions no matter the method is. If a society is so eager to execute criminals, why should there be a taboo about everyone being able to see it.


I agree with this, even though I am opposed to the death penalty. Refusing to publicly show executions trivializes what they are and in effect desensitizes people to the killing. What is the big deal if its just some name in the paper?


As for the humane part, I'm simply saying that lethal injection appears to be a more humane method of execution than other methods. Perhaps I'm wrong.

The humaness of execution doesn't play as large a factor as many people think IMHO. If that were the case, a bullet to the head from point blank would be used. Rather I think the current methods are used because they are 1) relatively easy to clean up and 2) offer less percieved violence to the viewers.

[KelvinG]

That didn't really answer my question.

Oh well :)

Sorry, your question is not very clear.

Were you asking me if I thought hanging, fireing squad and electric chair were more or less humane than lethal injection?

[bjb]

I also believe the public should witness executions. We have the death penalty in this country only because that's what the people want, but they don't know what the death penalty is like because they haven't seen it. Let them watch and if they still want it, fine, but if the real truth about the death penalty changes people's minds, that's fine with me as well. We are supposed to have democracy in this country but how can democracy work when the people are not infomed?

[KelvinG]

I agree with this, even though I am opposed to the death penalty. Refusing to publicly show executions trivializes what they are and in effect desensitizes people to the killing. What is the big deal if its just some name in the paper?

I'm opposed to the death penalty too. I'd just like to see if those who support it might change their opinion somewhat if they could actually see some of the executions. Of course, perhaps this idea would backfire and it would make executions even more popular. A disturbing thought, but possible?



The humaness of execution doesn't play as large a factor as many people think IMHO. If that were the case, a bullet to the head from point blank would be used. Rather I think the current methods are used because they are 1) relatively easy to clean up and 2) offer less percieved violence to the viewers.

Hey, then maybe schlurg is onto something in his post where he says that the viewers at home should get the opportunity to vote for the method of execution. Watch out American Idol!!

[Cheesejoff]

I have a better idea: DEATH ROW GLADIATORS!!1!

Basically it's extremely dangerous criminals armed with melee weapons fighting each other in a massive bloodbath. Every convict on death row has the option of either taking the normal death penalty, or fighting in the 'arena'. Each gladiator in the arena has to fight every other gladiator, and the winner is the only one left standing at the end. He gets to go free.

An array of weapons are scattered around the arena, from simple butchers knives and katanas all the way up to chainsaws and flamethrowers.

The fight is, of course, broadcast on pay-per-view television. When there is only one man left standing, he has to go and finish off the injured fighters on the ground. The audience can phone in to decide if the injured ones live or die: "Press 1 for mercy, 2 for death". If anyone gets mercy then they receieve the death penalty anyway but it's just to get the audience involved.

I think it would be a lot more interesting than a boring old execution and it would bring in a lot of money. It has the potential to be bigger than WWF although most of the fighters would be killed.

[TobiasTheViking]

Sorry, your question is not very clear.

Were you asking me if I thought hanging, fireing squad and electric chair were more or less humane than lethal injection?


Besides, most executions these days are pretty humane, i.e. lethal injection.

Agreed, you say "most", not all, i missed that. I just wanted to point out that not all executions were humane, and that quite a few of the ones in the USA are not humane at all(if any can be said t be humane).

That said, lethal injection isn't that humane either, because, apparantly, many people aren't given enough anesthetics, and thus feel their heart attack.

But i just wanted to point out that firering squad, the electric chair, and hanging was still being practiced.

[Segnosaur]

It would also be inhumane to send someone to prison and then force them to be the star of some sort of "Big Brother" type reality series in which they are seen going to the bathroom.


Unless of course they are in prison on charges of indecent exposure, in which case they might LIKE being seen going to the bathroom.

[Furious]

My primary objection to public execution is the chance of the criminal to make a spectacle of it. Most criminals take the execution calmly, since the only people they can see are the guards/executioners and they only peripherally know that there are a handful of people behind the glass.

For truly deranged killers though, I can see them taking an audience of millions and using it to their advantage.

Also, not every victim's families watch the killers die, and I would feel uncomfortable with grieving family members having to be further exposed to the source of their pain through popular media. Keep in mind the victim's families don't decide whether the death penalty is administered, the state does.

I'm not enamoured with allowing killers to have dignity in death per se, but making a media event out of criminals isn't a trend I'd like to see.

[Ryokan]

I have a better idea: DEATH ROW GLADIATORS!!1!

Basically it's extremely dangerous criminals armed with melee weapons fighting each other in a massive bloodbath. Every convict on death row has the option of either taking the normal death penalty, or fighting in the 'arena'. Each gladiator in the arena has to fight every other gladiator, and the winner is the only one left standing at the end. He gets to go free.

An array of weapons are scattered around the arena, from simple butchers knives and katanas all the way up to chainsaws and flamethrowers.

The fight is, of course, broadcast on pay-per-view television. When there is only one man left standing, he has to go and finish off the injured fighters on the ground. The audience can phone in to decide if the injured ones live or die: "Press 1 for mercy, 2 for death". If anyone gets mercy then they receieve the death penalty anyway but it's just to get the audience involved.

I think it would be a lot more interesting than a boring old execution and it would bring in a lot of money. It has the potential to be bigger than WWF although most of the fighters would be killed.

I have a better name for your show. The Running Man.

[Earthborn]

Of course, perhaps this idea would backfire and it would make executions even more popular. A disturbing thought, but possible?Just by considering the history of public executions, you'll find that it is not only possible, but very likely that executions become more popular. People will probably get bored pretty quickly with legal injections and demand much more excitement.